Residents turned out at the Oct. 18 Community Board 1 area committee meeting to speak out against Project Hospitality's proposed alcohol crisis program in the vacant building at 96 Prospect Street, across the street from modest, well-maintained homes.
Virginia N. Sherry/Staten Island Advance

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Residents of Prospect Street came prepared to speak out at Community Board 1's Clifton/Concord/Stapleton Area Committee monthly meeting on Oct. 18 because one agenda item focused on a proposal to bring an alcohol social services program to the predominantly residential block between Bay and Van Duzer streets.

Project Hospitality was reportedly assuming responsibility for Richmond University Medical Center's Alcohol Crisis Program at Bayley Seton Hospital, once Richmond Medical ends its lease and moves from the campus.

Rev. Terry Troia was scheduled to speak at the meeting about the transfer of the program to Project Hospitality, and preliminary consideration of a possible location in the vacant building at 96 Prospect St.

Residents came prepared to object, arguing that Stapleton is already "saturated" with social-service programs as well as the long-time blight of Staten Island University Hospital's methadone treatment center on Canal Street.

Rev. Troia did not attend the evening meeting, where it was announced that Project Hospitality "withdrew its application."

Reached Monday, she explained that she informed the Community Board earlier in the day on Oct. 18 that Project Hospitality had broadened its search for a suitable location for the Alcohol Crisis Program, and would be looking at other sites in the neighborhood.